Tone modifier for sound-reproducing machines



July 17, 1923.

n F. W. yCOOLEY TONE MODIFIER FOR SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINES Filed Sent. 28. 1921 I Mii 6 I/v vf/v 70W. FMS-0 W. CooL 2.

Patented July 17, 1923.

UNITED STATES FRED W. COOLEY, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

TONE MODIFIER FOR SOUND-REPRODUCING MACHINES.

Application filed September 28, 1921.

To aJZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, FRED WV. CooLnY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tone Modifiers for Sound-Reproducing Machines', and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a tone modifier adapted to be used in connection with the tone arm of a sound reproducing machine and t'o be placed in said machine in the path of the sound waves from the tone arm to the sound chamber.

This invention comprises an improvement in a tone modifier of the general type disclosed in Patent Number 1,349,604 granted to applicant of August 17 1920.

It is an obj ect of this invention to improve the character of the tension device disclosed in said patent and the manner of attaching the same as well as to improve the means for connecting and spacing the tubes used.

These and 'other objects and advantages of the invention will be fully set forth in the following description made in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which like reference characters refer to the same l parts throughout the different views, and, in

which- F ig. 1 is a vertical section of a device showing the same applied t'o the tone arm of a sound reproducing machine;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of a device taken at right angles to the section of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the device similar to that of Fig. l showing a modification thereof;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on an enlarged scale taken on line 4 4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the outer tube also showing the spacing means between the tubes.

Referring to the drawings:

The tone arm 'of an ordinary type of talking or sound reproducing machine is shown as 1 having the usual attaching plate la and depending sleeve 1b. To the inside of the latter sleeve is seated the depending tube 2 extending for a considerable distance below said sleeve and having one portion at its bottom beveled or cut away as shown at 2a and Serial No. 503,896.

of material of different degrees of compressibility, preferably layers of felt or cloth folded or alternated with layers of wax impreg nated leather, such as kid.

Tubes 2 and 3 are made of resonant material, preferably from certain kinds of wood and the inner tube is placed under tension by a tension means designated as 5. This tensioning device, as illustrated, comprises a resilient wire bent to form two strands 5, which strands are wrapped or enfolded by a comparatively thin piece of wax impregnated leather 5b, preferably kid. The member 5 is secured to the inside of the tube 3 by spaced clamping screws 6 passing between the strands 5L and the members 2, 3 and 4 and having their heads countersunk in a plate 7 contact-ing the outer side of tube 2. These screws are equipped with clamping nuts at their inner ends and a rubber washer 8 is disposed under each of said nuts and bears against a thin metal washer in contact with the leather 5b. The screws 6 are in vertical alinement and pass substantially through the circumferential center of member 4. Another clamping screw 9 also having its head countersunk in plate 7 extends through members 2, 3 and 4 and has its inner end equipped with a nut and a thin rubber or felt washer for clamping these members together. The screw 9 as will be seen in Figs. 4 and 5 is vertically disposed substantially central of the screw 6 and at one side thereof. The member 4 is unattached at itsend opposite to that clamped by the screw 9.

The tension member 5 would normally aS- sume the position shown in dotted linesin Fig. l, but these members are placed under tension and held against the inner side of tube 3 by a small clamping screw 10 passing between the strands thereof adjacent their upper ends and having their heads dispose on the outside of tubes 3 and their inner ends being equipped with clamping nuts. It is thus clear that the upper end of member 5i tends to move inwardly or from the wall of tube 3 toward the center thereof. The members 5 are thus held in tensioned condition and extend longitudinally along the inside of tube 3 and contact with the inthe tone arm l to the sound chamber of the machine and the sound produced by the machine is greatly softenedand improved and the blast or blare so common in reproduced high notes in such a machine, is eliminated. Vith-v the described structure of connection for the tubes and the tensioning device, the same will retain their tensioned condition and the sound will not deteriorate vwhen the machine is used a long time. The tension of the members 5 can be variably adjusted orving to the resilient or rubber Washer 8 disposed on the clamping screws 6 by turning the clamping nuts. Thetension of members -and the tension on the tube 3 can also be adjusted by tightening or loosening the screw l0.

While one embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that various changes may be made in the form, details and arrangement .of the parts Without departing from the scope `of applicants invention, which generally stated consists in the matter shown and described and set forth in the appended What is claimedis:

l. The combination with the tone arm of a sound reproducing machine, of a resonant tube spaced therefrom and located Where the sound Waves will pass therethrough on their Way from the arm to the sound chamber and a tension device placing said tube under tension, said device comprising a resilient member secured adjacent both ends to the inside/of said tube and covered with a yielding material.

2. The combination with the tone arm of a sound reproducing machine, of a resonant tube spaced therefrom and located Where the lsound Waves will pass therethrough on their l sound Waves Will pass therethrough on their Way from `the arm to the sound chamber and ,a tension device placing said tube under tension, said device comprising a resilient member placed under tension and secured to the inside of said tube at spaced points one of which is adjacent each end of said member.

4. The combination With the tone arm of a sound reproducing machine, of a resonant tube spaced therefrom and located Where the sound Waves will pass therethrough on their Way from the arm to the sound chamber and a tension device placing said tube under tension, comprising a resilient member composed of a plurality of strands extending longitudinally of said tube and covered with yielding material the tension of said device being` inwardly at its upper end.

5. The combination With the tone arm of a sound reproducing machine, of a resonant tube spaced therefrom and located Where the sound Waves Will pass therethrough on their f Way from the arm to the sound chamber and a tension device placing said tube under tension, comprising a resilient member covered with Wax impregnated leather..

G. The combination With the tone arm of a sound reproducing machine, of a resonant tube space therefrom and located Where the sound waves will pass therethrough on their ivay from the arm to the sound c-hamber and tension device placing said. tube undertension, coinjnising a resilient Wire bentinto a plurality of strands covered with leather and secured to said tube adjacent both its ends.

7. The structure set forth inv claim l, said tension device being clamped to the inside of said tube by a means including a yielding resilient member.

8. The combination with the tone arm of a sound reproducing machine, of a resonant tube spaced therefrom and located where the sound ivaves'ivill pass therethrough on their Way from the arm to the sound chamber and a tension device placing said tube under tension, said device comprising a resilient member extending longitudinally of the inside of the tube and contacting therewith and being secured thereto by a clamping means including a resilient member.

9. rlhe combination with a tone arm of a sound reproducing machine, of a resonant tube spaced therefrom and located Where the sound Waves will pass therethrough on their Way from the tone arm to the sound chamber and a plurality of tension devices for placing said tube under tension.

10. The combination With the tone arm of a sound reproducing machine of a tube ldepending therefrom, a tube disposed inside f said tube and spaced therefrom, aspacing member disposed between said tubesv and partially encircling said inner tube, clamping means passing through said tube and said spacing member disposed at the circumferential center of said spacing member and xan additional clamping means at one side" of said clamping means. j Y

ll. The structure set forth in claim l0 and a tension device on the inside of the inner tube and held thereagainst by the first mentioned clamping means.

12. The combination with the tone arm of a sound reproducing machine, of a resonant tube spaced therefrom and located Where the sound Waves will pass through on their Way from the arm to the sound chamber and a tension device placing said tube under tension, and means for Varying the tension of said tension device.

13. The combination with the tone arm of a sound reproducing machine, of a resonant tube spaced -therefrom and located Where the sound Waves Will pass therethrough on their Way from the arm to the sound chamber, a supporting tube surrounding said tube, a spacing member disposed between said tubes and partially encircling said inner tube and circumferentially spaced clamping means passing through the tubes and said spacing member and holding the same in position, one of said clamping means being also constructed and arranged to hold a tension device at the inside of the inner tube.

14. The combination With the tone arm of a sound reproducing machine, of a resonant tube spaced therefrom and located Where the sound Waves Will pass therethrough on their Way from the arm to the sound chamber, and a pair of circumferentially oppositely disposed tension devices secured to the inside of Said tube and extending longitudinally thereof, said tension devices tending to move inwardly at the upper ends, which ends are secured to the tube.

15. The combination with the tone arm of a sound reproducing machine, of a tube depending therefrom, a tube disposed inside of said tube and spaced therefrom, said tubes being located so that the sound Waves Will pass therethrough on their Way Jfrom the tone arm to the sound chamber, a spacing member disposed between said tube and partially encircling said inner tube, circumferentially spaced clamping means passing through said tube and spacing member, and a tension device for said inner tube held in place by one of said clamping means.

In testimony whereof I ailix my signature.

FRED W. COOLEY. 

